The University Interscholastic League released the new state wide district alignments on Monday, February 3. These new districts will be good for the next two years.
Denver City will remain a 3A school for the next two years. They will be joined by Brownfield, Kermit, Lamesa, Shallowater, and Slaton in football.
The new basketball district will consist of Brownfield, Dimmitt, Friona, Lamesa, Littlefield, and Muleshoe and the new volleyball district will be Brownfield, Dimmitt, Friona, Lamesa, and Littlefield.
All schools in the state submitted current enrollment numbers the last Monday in October. After that the UIL decided on a cutoff number for each classification from 6A down to 1A schools with an equal balance of schools in each division. Those numbers were released in December. And now the day all coaches and athletic directors have been waiting for, new district alignments for the next two years.
Shallowater, Lamesa, and Slaton are former members of the Mustang’s district while Brownfield and Kermit will be returning from the four team district from the last two years.
There will be several new faces in basketball with the addition of Dimmitt, Friona, Littlefield, and Muleshoe. And volleyball will be adding Dimmitt, Friona, Lamesa, and Littlefield.
“Football will be in much tougher district,” noted Athletic Director Chief Bridgforth. “Even though we will have more travel time I think we got in a good basketball district. We will be playing some folks for the first time, but I think it will be a good district.”
Mustang basketball coach Abraham Garcia had the same thoughts.
“The new district gives us some new faces that we haven’t seen before,” said Coach Garcia. “The district is still big and will have some tough competition each night but I believe we will be able to compete each night and look forward to the opportunity.”
Mustang football coach Daniel Fontenot was excited about his 2020-21 football schedule. He revealed he pretty well have his non-district schedule figured out before the announcement was made based on a six team district.
“Everything just fell in place for us,” Fontenot said. “I had five non-district teams lined up before the announcement was made so we are good to go for the next two years.”
The Mustangs non-district schedule will consist of Idalou away on August 28, Littlefield and Seminole at home the following two Fridays, Lovington away and Crane at home to close out the first half of the schedule. After an open date on October the Mustangs will host Lamesa on October 9, travel to Slaton the next Friday, host Shallowater, and then close out their season with back to back out of town games in Brownfield and Kermit.
An interesting scenario came up at the district meeting. The first district schedule had the Mustangs hosting Kermit in the last game, but that would have meant six home and four away games, which would be great for the first year. But the second year would reverse that home and home to give the Mustangs only four at home and six away. Ironically Kermit was in the same situation so Coach Fontenot agreed to play at Kermit so both teams would have five home and five away games.
“We really didn’t want back to back away games to finish the season,” he continued. “It would be good for next year, but the following year it would put us on the road for six games. It was a win/win for both of us even though we will have back to back away games to close out the season.”
The Spring coaches had no comments on the new district.
So, like it or not, the football and basketball schedules are set for the next two years. The football team will be in a slight rebuilding year, but will have quarterback Mario Sanchez back to lead the Mustangs offensive team.
Gear up and get ready, the 2020-21 seasons will be here before you know it…..
Football
Brownfield – DC – Kermit – Lamesa – Shallowater – Slaton
Volleyball
Brownfield – DC – Dimmitt – Friona – Lamesa – Littlefield
Basketball
Brownfield – DC – Dimmitt – Friona – Lamesa – Littlefield – Muleshoe
4A volleyball District 10 Carrollton Ranchview FW Harmony Sch. of Nature & Ath. Kennedale Oak Cliff Faith Family Uplift North Hills Prep Uplift Summit Intl Prep Uplift Williams Prep
District 23 H Furr H Kashmere H North Forest H Scarborough H Washington H Wheatley H Worthing H Yates
16 district DI and 16 district DII
